Motor for operating railway-signals.



W. K. HOWE. MOTOR FOR OPERATING RAILWAY SIGNALS. APPLICATION HLED JULY 29,191].

1,162,695. Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- 3e 27 as as so INVENTOR.

WITNESSES: W

@ aw y 5 a W W TTORNE COLUMBIA PLANOCIRAPH co. WASHINGTON, D. c.

W. K. HOWE.

MOTOR FOR OPERATING RAILWAY SIGNALS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, I91].

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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X ATTORNE WITNESSES WINT MOTOR FOR GPERATING RAILWAY-SIGNALS.

Application filed July 29, 1911.

To (.(ZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, lVINTHnor K. IIOWE, a citizen of the Unit-ed States, and resi'ent of the city of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have in vented a new and useful Motor for Operating Railway-Signals, of which the following is a specification.

his invention relates to motors for operating railway signals, particularly to the semaphore type which are operated by means of rotary electric motors. In devices of this kind it is necessary that the semaphore move rapidly from the position indicating danger to either of the other two usual positions denoting caution and full clear. Such rapidity is attained by the consmnption of relatively large amounts of electric current but in order to secure economy it is desirable, and in fact, almost necessary to reduce the amount of current consumed by the motor when holding the signal in the set position. To secure this economy, three general methods have heretofore been known First: lVhen the semaphore was in the set position, currentwas cut off from the motor and applied to a magnet, this magnet operating a brake on the motor shaft itself or on some part of the gearing connecting the motor shaft with the semaphore so as to prevent reverse movement and thus hold the semaphore in the set position. Second: This magnet was made to operate a latch commonly called a slot which was so arranged as to prevent the reverse movement and hold the semaphore in the set p0- sition.

Some of the early patents have shown semaphore signals 0 aerated and held by the energized motor without the use of either the brake magnet or the slot, but as is well known when an electric motor is brought to rest and its energization is maintained current increases to a point very much in excess of that which was required to set the semaphore, the reason for this is, as is well known, that when a motor is at rest, although energized, there is no counter-electromotive force tending to reduce the flow of current through the motor; when a motor is running there is a counter-electromotive force which, together with the resistance of the motor automatically limits the flow of current through the motor to that necessary Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 30, 1915. Serial No. 641,265.

to do the work required of it, if, however, the motor is brought to rest and the voltage continues to be applied the counter-electromotive force mentioned, ceases, and the current increases very greatly, or in other words, is then limited only by the resistance of the motor. In order to hold a semaphore in the set position by the use of the armature of the motor alone it was necessary to adopt the third general method, to wit: the energization with a resistance in series with the motor circuit when the semaphore reached the set position thus decreasing the current flow to an economical point. The third general. method mentioned. has, however, in practice been found subject to several detects, the most troublesome of which is the tendency of the semaphore to drift, that is to say, the inability of the motor to retain the semaphore fixed in one position. This defect is especially noticeable when a three position signal is employed and an attempt is made to hold the signal in the caution position by the armature.

In order toovercome the defects incident to prior constructions and to construct a signal mechanism by which a semaphore is not only moved to the set position but held fixedly in such position by the action of the motor alone, advantage has been taken of what are technically known as looking points. These locking points occur when the right number of slots are chosen and placed with reference to the pole pieces; the locking points above mentioned are merely a result of magnetic attraction which tends to hold the armature in a given position and to prevent movement in either direction. By a suitable design these locking points become very pronounced, particularly when the magnetic flux is increased.

In the drawings accompanying this application and in which like reference characters denote like parts, Fiq'ure 1, is a part front elevation of a two position semaphore signal and operating mechanism, together with a diagram of the circuit for such a signal. Fig. 2, is a diagrammatic illustration of the motor and circuits for a three position semaphore signal. Fig. 3, is a diagrammatic illustration of a construction to illustrate the locking points.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Fi 1, 1 designates a signal pole to which is attached the mechanism case 2, there being a shaft 3 jOL aled in the mech nism case and having rigidly attached t-ereto tasting #l which bears the blade 6 designatcs a sector rigidly attached to the shaf 3, .nd adapted to abut against the stop 7 when he signal indicates danger shown in he figure and adapted to abut against t- Jtop 3 when the signal indicates clear. A movement from danger to clear is produced 10, 11, 12 and 13. The spur gear 13 is attached to a shaft 1%: to which is also attached the armature 15 which revolves between poles 16, 17, 77 and 78 which have wound upon them the coils 18, 19, and 21. The two coils 18 and 21 constituting the operating coils and the coils 19 and 26 constituting together with the coils 18 and 21 the retaining coils for holding the armature. the gearing and tie semaphore in a moved position. 22 designa drum of in ulating material which is rigidly attached to the shaft 3 and consequently revolves with it an i with the semaphore castlp On the ieriphery of the Cu n fastened t 1e metallic strip which, in the normal p0 ition of the senniphore as shown has the t ,rings 2:) and bearing thereon, but is or such length that when the signal is in the clear position it does not form a "netallic r l e "rom brusa 25 to brush 27 designates a source of current here shown a a battery; 23 designates a metallic arm for connecting wires 29 and 30. When connection is closed between wires 29 and 30 a current flows in the following path: positive terminal of battery 27, wire 29, arm 23, wire 30, wire 31, brush 26, strip 2", brush 25, wire wire 33, coil 18, wire 39, brush 33, armature 15, br ish 3%, wire 35, coil 21, and wire 36 to the negative terminal of the battery. The current in the above traced path causes the rotation of the armature an. the movement of the signal to the clear position at which point sector 6 abuts the stop 8. Just before the signal reaches the clear position strip 23 passes from under brush 25 thereby breaking the operating circuit to the motor and thereupon current flows in the following path solely: positive terminal of the battery 27, wire 29, arm 28, wire 30, wire 37, coil 20, wire 38, coil 19, wire e0, wire 33, coil 18, wire 39, brush 33, armature 15, brush 3%, Wire 35, coil 21, and wire 36 to the negative terminal of the battery. The current in the above traced path is very much less in quantity than the current which flowed during the operation of the motor, for the coils 19 and 20 are formed of a very large number of turns of small wire and so offer considerable resistance but the design and ratio between the coils upon the poles of the motor is such, that suilicient current will flow to generate sufficient magnetic flux temaphore in the clear poof current through the ci ore described, the by the presence of the slots longitudinally of the poc faces. nce to Fig. 3, it will be seen tha ce between. the slots of the corresponds to the distance betwelots the pole faces. const rcates a tendency when 'ent lie. operating fields .2 *8 and so i rcduces a c nun from pole to pole to h ld tile annature 15 loc red in a position in which the SlOLS of the armature and the slots of the pole faces coincide.

l -Then all the poles of a motor are slotted to create the locking points, diihculties are liable to arise on account of the fact that the locking points may be made so pronounced that diiiculty may be experienced in starting the motor, for which reason it is desirable to slot only one-halt ot the poles of a motor and to place the operating coils upon the poles which are not slotted and the retaining coils upon the slotted poles. Such a construction is shown in Fig. 2, in which, es and -15 designates the slotted poles and tiand at the plain poles; the operating field being designated by t7 and e8,retainv 19 and the armature being 1, by 15, and the brushes b 3 and The circuit shown with this embodim n oi": my invention is adapted for use with a three position signal, the circuit breaker for the caution poi in F g.

'sition being represented as a relay, designated by 53, the armature of which is designated by 5 the circuit breaker for controlling the tull clear or 90 position of the signal being represented as a relay designated by 51 of which the armature is 52; designates a metallic arm, movable with the signal, which bears upon a metallic strip 56 at the Zero or danger position of the signal and remains in contact therewith during the movement of thesignal until it almost reaches the caution or an position at which point it malres contact with strip 57 with which it remains in contact during the movement cat the signal from caution or 45 position almost to the full clear or 90 position at which point it breaks contact with strip 5'? 5S designates a metallic arm which makes contact with strip 59 at about the 45 or caution position or the signal and with strip 60 at about the 90 or full clear position of the signal. It relay armature 52 is dropped and relay armature 5% is picked up, current will flow in the following path; positive terminal of battery 27, wire 61, armature 54, wire 74, wire 6:2, wire 6%, strip 56, arm 55, wire 65, wire 66, operating coil me weig 1t ot he semaphore new 3 48, wire 67, operating coil 47, wire 68, brush 33, armature 15, brush 34:, and by wire 69 to the negative terminal of the battery 27. Current flowing in the above traced path causes the armature 15 to rotate carrying with it any form of signal arm such as is shown by Fig. 1, connected thereto and will also move the arm 55 so that when the semaphore. arm reaches the position, the arm will break contact with strip 56, thus cutting off operating current from the motor, but at the same time or just before, arm 58 makes contact with strip 59 so that current flows from the source in the following path: battery 27, wire 61, armature 54, wire 74, wire 62, wire 75, strip 59, arm 58, wire 71, retaining coil 49, wire 72, retaining coil 50, wire 73, wire 66, operating coil 48, wire 67, operating coil 47, wire 68, brush 33, armature 15, brush 34 and wire 69 to the negative terminal of the battery. The current in the above traced path passing through the re taining coils 4.9 and strongly energizes poles 43 and 45 and by reason of the locking points formed due to the slotting of the pole faces, the armature is held fixedly in the moved position with no tendency to drift, at the same time the current flowing is mate rially reduced as the retaining coils 49 and 50 being composed of a large number of turns of small wire offer av considerable resistance to the flow of current. If the armature 52 should be raised while the signal was in the position to which it had been moved by the current flowing in the above traced path, another circuit would be formed as follows: positive terminal of battery 27, wire 61, armature 54, wire 74, w? e 76, armature 52, wire 63, strip 57, arm 55 to wire 65 and then through the same path which the operating current, as previously described passed, causing the armature to again rotate and move the semaphore to the full clear or 90 position at which time the arm 58 would make contact with strip 60 and the current from battery 27 would flow to wire 70, and then to strip 60, arm 58 to wire 71 instead of from wire 63 to strip 57, as at the full clear or 90 position of the signal, the arm 55 could break contact with strip 57. The current flowing to wire 71 from the battery 27 would flow through the retaining circuit heretofore described and hold the semaphore in the moved position.

It is to be observed that a three position signal can have no stop against which it abuts when moved to the 65 position, for which reason it is very essential that a motor designed for operating a signal and retaining a signal in the moved position should be constructed with locking points, for if an attempt is made to operate a sig nal by a motor and to also retain the signal in the moved position by the same motor merely by the insertion of a resistance in series therewith when the semaphore reaches e caution position, it will be found that on account of the varying torque on the semaphore shaft due principally to accumulations of snow and ice upon the semaphore in winter, that great difiiculty will be expethe signal fixedly certain position. lVhen the motor is sodesigned to have locking points, as herein described, a semaphore can be held without movement or drift at the 45 position as accurately as it can be held against the stop in the full clear or 90 position, for the presence of the locking points causes the armature when it comes to rest to stay a rest accurately in the desired position.

This application is a continuation in part of my prior application Serial No. 493,216, filed April 30, 1909.

-Iaving thus explained the principle of my invention and described a particular specific embodiment thereof, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A motor, consisting of an armature and field magnets having windings, said armature and field magnets constructed with longitudinal peripheral slots, the slots of said armature being spaced the same angular distance apart as the slots in said field magnets, and means for altering the strength of the current flowing through said windings and thereby producing motion or rest of said armature.

2. In a motor, a rotary member formed of magnetic material and having longitudinal slots, a fixed member formed of magnetic material and having longitudinal slots spaced the same angular distance apart as said rotary and said fixed members of variable intensity, thereby producing motion or rest of said rotary member against a counter-torque.

3. In a motor, a rotary member formed of magnetic material and having a substantially circular periphery and longitudinal slots therein, a fixed member formed of magnetic material and having substantially circular faces in proximity to the periphery of the rotary member and longitudinal slots therein, means for producing separate mag netic fluxes in said rotary and fixed members of variable intensity, thereby producing motion or rest of said rotary member against a counter-torque.

' In a motor, a rotatable member having longitudinal slots in its periphery, a fixed which the rotary member may revolve, and. formed with longitudinal slots facing said aperture, means to produce a magnetic flux in said fixed and rotary members by energy from an external source and means to produce a magnetic flux in the same members at any predetermined point in the movement of said rotary member with less energy consumption than produced the first said flux.

5. A motor consisting of an armature and a plurality'of pairs of diametrically opposite field magnets each pair having connected windings; an armature; connections controlling energy from a source to the armature, means operated by the motor whereby the armature and the windings of one pair of field magnets are at times connected in series with each other and in circuit with the source and whereby at times the armature and the *indings of the said one pair are at times connected in series with each other and in series with the windings of another pair of field ma nets and in circuit with the source.

6. In a controller, in combination: a rotatable armature formed with longitudinal slots in its periphery; conductors on said armature; field electroinagnets mounted adjacent the armature and having cores with smooth faces toward the armature for producing a magnetic flux therein;'means connecting the conductors for causing rotation when the field electromagnets and the said conductors are energized; holding electromagnets adjacent the armature and having cores with faces toward the armature formed with longitudinal slots having the same angular pitch as the slots formed in the armature for producing a magnetic flux therein;

v said holding electromagnets preventing rotation of the armature when energized in a circuit in series with the said field electromagnets and the said conductors; means for connecting said conductors and the iield electromagnets in a circuit with a source of energy and means for connecting the holding electroinagnets in a circuit in series with the iield electromagnets and the said conductors and a source of energy.

7. In a controller-fin combination; an electromotor having field electromagnets with smooth fac d pole pieces and a rotatable armature formed with longitudinal slots in its periphery; holding electromagnets adjacent the armature having cores with faces toward the armature formed with longitudinal slots having the same angular pitch as the slots formed in the armature for producing a magnetic in therein said holding electromagnets preventing rotation of the armature when energized in a circuit in series with the field electromagnets and the armature; means for completing a circuit including the iield electromagnets and the armature for operating the motor and means after the armature has rotated a predetermined angular distance for completing'a circuit including the holding electromagnets in series with the armature and the field electromagnets and a source 01 energy.

W INTHBQP K. HONE.

lVitnesses:

liniman L. Pnrnmrs, Minnie A. Lona.

Gonies of this atent me. be obtained for five cents each, 0* addressing" the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, 3 C. 

